Material dispensing gun



May 10, 1960 w. J. LORIA ETAI- MATERIAL DISPENSING GUN Filed June 9, 1958 INYENTOR Wa/fer J. Lona Jerome Suhre ATTORNEY United States MATERIAL DISPENSING GUN Walter J. Loria, New York, and Jerome Suhre,

Staten Island, N.Y.-

Application June 9, 1958, Serial No. 740,624 6 Claims. (Cl. 222-79) This invention relates to a gun for dispensing pasty material and is particularly directed to an improved construction of such a gun whichfacilitates loading and reloading of the gun with the material to be dispensed and provides for dispensing a predetermined miximum amount of material for each operation.

Various types of'dispensers of pasty materials from deformable containers have been suggested in the'past but most of these have not been constructed so as to permit an easy loading and reloading of the dispenser and generally have been provided with cumbersome or awkward screw means for operating the devices. In addition, these former dispensers were not constructed to provide for a predetermined maximum amount of material to be dispensed by an one operation thereof.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved material dispensing gun.

It is another object of this invention to provide a material dispensing gun-with a simple and attractive ar-' rangem'entfor loading and reloading the gun with the material to be dispensed. j 7

. A further object of this invention is to provide an improved material'dispensing device in which the maximum amount of material which can be dispensed by any one operation thereof is limited to a predetermined quantity. Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description, referring to'the accompanying drawing, and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims appended to and forming a part of this specification.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 is an end elevational view of a dispensing gun embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is a'side elevational view shown in Fig; 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the dispensing gun shown in Figs. 1 and 2, taken along line'3--3 of Fig. 1, showing the details of the operating mechanism of the gun;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken along line of the dispensing gun 44 of Fig.3, showing the details of the pawl and.

ratchet operably connected to the trigger of the gun; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the'leaf-spring ratchet stop for preventing reverse rotation of the operating ratchet wheel and also for'providing a 'clicking sound efiiect when operating the dispensing gun. Referring to the drawing,a material-dispensing gun, made in accordance with this invention for dispensinga' predetermined maximum amount of material for each operation thereof, is illustrated as comprising a structure having the general configuration of a piston. This general configuration lends itself to the ready application of simple operating members for carrying out the practical aspects of this invention and, in addition, provides, a specific asthetic appeal for certain uses of such a dispensing gun, especially where it is desired to induce persons, such as children, to use it more frequently. It has beentound,

in actual practice, that when such a material dispensing ments of the device.

2 ,936,097 Patented May 10, 1960 gun is used for dispensing toothpaste from a tube, children look forward to cleansing their teeth because of the opportunity afiorded to use the toothpaste dispensing gun. In such an application of this invention, it is particularly desirable that the maximum amount of material which can be dispensed at any one operation should be limited to a predetermined quantity. It is also of considerable importance that loading and reloading of the dispensing gun can be carried out by a very simple operation.

As is more clearly shown in Fig. 3, this embodiment of the dispensing gun is formed with a magazine 1 for the storage of a deformable material receptacle 2, such as a tube of toothpaste, shaving cream, mucilage, or other pasty substance. The magazine 1 communicates with a barrel 3 having an open muzzle 4 which provides for the ready insertion and withdrawal of the deformable recep tacle 2 by a muzzle-loading operation.

In order to retain a tube of pasty material in the dispensing gun, and in order to squeeze a certain amount of material out of the tube, a pressure plate 5 is movably mounted in the magazine 1 and is adapted to be biased into positive engagement with a side of the tube 2, so as to exert pressure thereon by squeezing it against the side of the magazine away from the pressure plate 5. This frictionally clamps the tube 2 in the gun and also exerts pressure against the tube which will force material out of its conventional mouth 2. In order to facilitate handling of the dispensing gun, a hand grip butt 6 is formed extending at an obtuse angle to the axis of the magazine and barrel. This hand gripbutt of the dispensing gun is formed hollow and provides a convenient housing for the major operating ole The pressure plate 5 is loosely mounted on an unthreaded neck 7 of an operating screw 8 which extends generally axially of the butt 6 and, therefore, also extends at an obtuse angle to the axis of. the magazine and barrel. The pressure plate 5 is loosely retained in position on the neck 7 by any suitable means,- such as a small washer 9 under a peened over head 10 on the outer end of theneck 7. This loose mounting of the pressure plate 5 provides for its general retention at an angle to the axis of the magazine and, therefore, at an angle to the axis of the material receptacle 2 but allows a certain amount of freedom for adjustment of the position of the pressure plate within the magazine, depending upon the size of the receptacle 2. The operating screw 8 on which the pressure plate 5 is mounted threadedly en-' a This flexible spring 15 is rigidly mounted in the butt 6 in any suitable manner, as by a screw 16 extending through the leaf-spring and threadedly engaging the butt 6. This leaf-spring 15 also cooperates with the screw.'8'

to 'provide for its longitudinal movement on rotationof the ratchet Wheel 11 and is formed with a second finger latching stop 15" on the opposite end thereof from the finger stop 15'. The finger stop 15 is operably connected to the screw 8 through a mechanical train which includes the engagement of the finger stop 15"-with a second ratchet wheel 17, fixedly mounted on the outer end of a hollow sleeve 18, formed on the end of a thumb release and reset knob 19. The sleeve 18 is slidably'ar ranged around the'lower unthreaded cylindrical end 8? (if the operating screw -8 and-is'formed with a collar 18- on the. end thereof adjacent to the ratchet 17,-so as' to'retain this ratchet axially in position thereon. Engagement of the finger stop 15" with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 17 normally prevents rotation of this ratchet wheel, the sleeve 18, and the thumb release knob 19. In order to obtain axial movement of the screw 8, so as to bias the pressure plate towards the deformable receptacle 2, a key 20, conveniently made as a pin driven through an aperture in the sleeve 18, slidably engages a keyway 20 extending longitudinally of the cylindrical end 8 of the operating screw, whereby turning of the ratchet wheel 11 will cause it to screw the screw 8 axially thereof, while normally preventing its rotation.

The amount of material which can be dispensed by the gun on any one operation thereof is limited to a predetermined amount which is dependent upon the extent to which the operating screw 8 is limited in its axial movement for any one operation of the dispensing gun. This axial movement of the screw 8 is provided, as previously explained, by relative rotation of the ratchet wheel 11 in its threaded engagement with the screw 8. Such turning of the ratchet wheel 11 is obtained by the depression of a trigger 21 which is slidably mounted in guideways 22 and 23, formed, respectively, in the underside of the magazine 1 and in the innerside of a trigger guard 24-. The trigger 21 is formed with an operating pawl finger 25 on the end of which an angularly extending pawl surface 25' is formed, which is adapted to be pressed into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel llwhen the trigger 21 is depressed. Such a depression of the trigger will cause the tapered pawl surface 25' to bias the ratchet wheel in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 4, so as to tend to screw it along the operating screw 8 in a direction away from the pressure plate 5 and towards the thrust resisting large washer 13. Since the washer 13 is held by the collar 14 against axial movement relative to the screw 8, the ratchet wheel 11 is prevented from moving from its position between the collars 12 and 13, with the result that the screw 8 is shifted axially thereof in a direction away from the thrust washer 13, further into the magazine 1. This movement of the screw 8 carries the pressure plate 5 further against the deformable receptacle 2 so as to squeeze this receptacle and press a given amount of material out of the receptacle mouth 2'. Since the pressure plate is limited in its movement against the deformable receptacle 2 by the axial movement of the operating screw 8, which, in turn, is limited in its movement for any one operation by the turning of the ratchet wheel 11 in response to depression of the trigger 21, it is impossible to obtain more than a predetermined limited amount of material from the deformable receptacle 2 for any one depression of the trigger 21. In this manner, the pressure plate 5 is adapted to be progressively pressed against the deformable receptacle 2 by successive depressions of the trigger 21. Turning of the ratchet wheel 11 by the pawl surface 25 causes the spring finger stop 15 to be deflected over a ratchet tooth to produce a clicking sound, which has been found to be intriguing to children, as it simulates the firing of a gun when the trigger is depressed.

In order to return the trigger 21 to its initial cocked position, a compression coil spring 26 is seated'in aspring pocket 26' formed on the end of the trigger guard 24, adjacent the butt 6, so as resiliently to bias the trigger 21 to a position in which the outer end of the pawl surface 25' is slightly out of engagement with the outer ends of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 11. This arrangement and position of the pawl surface 25' is desirable in order to facilitate retraction of the pressure plate 5 to permit removable receptacle 2 and its replacement by a new receptacle.

As can more readily be seen by the sectional-view in Fig. 3, the pressure plate 5 is adapted to be moved transversely through the magazine 1, with the rear end therein this general position until the rear end thereof is fully advanced transversely of the magazine, in which position the loose connection of the pressure plate 5 with the operating screw 8 on the neck 7 provides for further advance of the muzzle end of the pressure plate 5 in response to further advance of the operating screw 8 on depression of the trigger 21. Such movement of the pressure'plate can be continued until its muzzle end has travelled fully transversely across the magazine. In this latter position of the pressure plate 5, substantially all of the pasty material within the deformable receptacle 2 will have been pressed out of the receptacle.

When a receptacle 2 has been emptied, it will be desirable to replace it with another tube of paste. This can be easily accomplished simply by turning the releasing knob 19 in a direction which will screw the operating screw 8 through the ratchet wheel 11 axially in a direction away from the magazine 1 and into the sleeve 18 attached to the release knob 19. This turning of the screw 8 by the release knob 19 is effectively provided for by engagement of the key 20 with the sides of the keyway 20 in the cylindrical portion 8' of the screw 8, and the spring stop finger 15' will engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel ll to prevent turning of this ratchet wheel, so that the screw 8 will screw itself axially through the ratchet wheel, back into the butt 6 of the gun. This will release the pressure of the pressure plate 5 upon the deformable receptacle 2, so that it can simply be pulled out of the magazine land barrel 3, and be replaced by a new receptacle. In this manner, the dispensing gun can be used repeatedly by simply replacing the deformable material receptacle and repeating the dispensing procedure by depression of the trigger 21.

An attractive and economical dispensing gun can be manufactured of any suitable material, and a plastic structure in which the barrel, magazine, butt, and pistol guard are formed in two half sections, as indicated inFigs. 1 and 3, provides a very convenient and efficient arrangement. With such a construction, each half is formed with'the above-mentioned parts as an integral molded structure. The operating mechanism is assembled in one of the halves and the two halves are then cemented together, and may be additionally strengthened by rivets 27 extending transversely through two halves of the casing. The decorative and esthetic appeal of the gun can be further enhanced by arranging a front sight 28 on the barrel 3. Such a sight preferably is mounted on a clip 29 arranged over the muzzle end of the barrel 3, and suitably secured thereto by rivets 30. This sight and clip thus also aid in securing together the two halves of the casing at the muzzle end thereof.

While a particular embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described, modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in the art. It is to be understood, therefore, that this invention is not to be limited to the particular structural details and arrangements disclosed, and it is intended in the appended claims to cover all modifications within the spirit and scope of this invention.

We claim:

1. A material dispensing gun for dispensing a predetermined maximum amount of material by each operation thereof comprising a magazine for the storage of a deformable material receptacle, a barrel communicating with said magazine and having an open muzzle for loading the receptacle into said magazine, and means for exerting pressure on the deformable receptacle in said magazine for dispensing a predetermined maximum amount of material therefrom by each operation of said means, said means including a pressure plate movably mounted in said magazine at an angle to the axis of said magazine for transverse movement angularly therethrough with the end thereof away. from said muzzle further advanced into said magazine than the end thereof nearer to said muzzle, a depressable trigger operably connected to said pressure plate for movably pressing said pressure plate g. to an advanced position against the deformable receptacle by each successive depression of said trigger, means for latching said pressure plate'in each successive advanced position, and means for withdrawing said pressure plate from advanced position for releasing the deformable receptacle to permit withdrawal thereof from said gun. V

2. A material dispensing gun for dispensing a predetermined maximum amount of material by each operation thereof comprising a magazine for the storage of a deformable material receptacle, a barrel communicating with said magazine and having an open muzzle for loading the deformable receptacle into said magazine, and means for exerting pressure on the deformable receptacle in said magazine for dispensing a predetermined maximum amount of material therefrom by each operation of said means, said means including a pressure plate movably mounted in said magazine at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said magazine with the end-thereof away from said muzzle advanced further into said magazine than the end thereof nearer to said muzzle, and a depressable trigger operably loosely connected to said pressure plate for movably pressing said pressure plate against the deformable receptacle at said angle to the longitudinal axis of said magazine until said end of said plate away from said muzzle has fully advanced transversely of said magazine on depression of said trigger, said loose connection providing for further advance of the muzzle end of said pressure plate to full transverse travel across said magazine on further depression of said trigger.

3. A material dispensing gun for dispensing a predetermined maximum amount of material by each operation thereof comprising a magazine for the storage of a deformable material receptacle, a barrel communicating with said magazine and having an open muzzle for loading the deformable receptacle into said magazine, and means for exerting pressure on the deformable receptacle in said magazine for dispensing a predetermined maximum amount of material therefrom by each operation of said means, said means including a pressure plate movably mounted in said magazine at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said magazine with the end thereof away from said muzzle advanced further into said magazine than the end thereof nearer to said muzzle, a depressable trigger operably loosely connected to said pressure plate for movably pressing said pressure plate against the deformable receptacle at said angle until said end of said plate away from said muzzle has advanced fully transversely of said magazine by repeated depressions of said trigger, said loose connection of said trigger to said pressure plate providing for further advance of the muzzle end of saidpressure plate to full transverse travel across said magazine by further depressions of said trigger, and means for withdrawing said pressure plate from advanced position for releasing the deformable receptacle to permit withdrawal thereof through the muzzle of said gun.

4. A material dispensing gun for dispensing a predetermined maximum amount of material by each operation thereof comprising a magazine for the storage of a deformable material receptacle, a barrel communicating with said magazine and having an open muzzle for loading the receptacle into said magazine, and means for exerting pressure on the deformable receptacle in said magazine for dispensing a predetermined maximum amount of material therefrom by each operation of said means, said means including a pressure plate in said magazine, a handgrip butt, a propelling screw member in said butt extending into said magazine with a loose connection to said pressure plate, a ratchet Wheel having an internal thread operably engaging said screw member, a trigger depressable a predetermined maximum extent and having a pawl for operating said ratchet wheel to advance said ratchet wheel and screw member for progressively movably pressing said pressure plate to an advanced position against the deformable receptacle by each successive depression of said trigger, spring stop means for engag ing said ratchet wheel to hold said screw member and pressure plate in said advanced position, and means including a release'member operably. connectedfito said screw member for withdrawing said screw member and pressure plate from advanced position for releasing the deformable receptacle to permit withdrawal thereof from said gun.

5. A material dispensing gun for dispensing a predetermined maximum amount of material by each operation thereof comprising a magazine for the storage of a deformable material receptacle, a barrel communicating with said magazine and having an open muzzle for loading the receptacle into said magazine, and means for exerting pressure on the deformable receptacle in said magazine for dispensing a predetermined maximum amount of material theerefrom by each operation of said means, said means including a pressure plate in said magazine, a handgrip butt, a propelling screw member in said butt extending into said magazine at an axis to the longitudinal axis of said magazine directed toward said muzzle with a loose connection to said pressure plate for mounting and moving said pressure plate at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said magazine directed toward said muzzle with the rear end thereof further advanced into said magazine than the muzzle end thereof until said rear end has fully advanced transversely of said magazine, said loose connection providing for further advance of said muzzle end to full transverse travel of said magazine, a ratchet wheel having an internal thread operably engaging said screw member, a depressably mounted trigger means for operating said ratchet wheel to advance said ratchet wheel and screw member for progressively movably pressing said pressure plate to an advanced position against the deformable receptacle by each successive depression of said trigger, latching means for holding said pressure plate in each successive advanced position, and means operably connected to said screw member for withdrawing said screw member and pressure plate from advanced position for releasing the deformable receptacle to permit withdrawal thereof from said gun.

6. A material dispensing gun for dispensing a predetermined maximum amount of material by each operation thereof comprising a magazine for the storage of a deformable material receptacle, a barrel communicating with said magazine and having an open muzzle for loading the receptacle into said magazine, and means for exerting pressure on the deformable receptacle in said magazine for dispensing a predetermined maximum amount of material therefrom by each' operation of said means, said means including a pressure plate in said magazine, a handgrip butt, a propelling screw member in said butt extending into said magazine at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said magazine with a loose con nection to said pressure plate for mounting and moving said pressure plate at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said magazine with the rear end thereof further advanced into said magazine than the muzzle end thereof until said rear end is fully advanced transversely of said magazine and said loose connection providing for further advance of said muzzle end to full transverse travel across said magazine, a ratchet wheel having an internal thread operably engaging said screw member, a depressable trigger having a pawl for operating said ratchet wheel to advance said ratchet wheel and screw member for progressively movably pressing said prmsure plate to an advanced position against the deformable receptacle by each successive depression of said trigger, spring latching stop means for engaging said ratchet wheel to hold said screw member and pressure plate in each successive advanced position, and means including a release member operably connected to said screw member for withdrawing said screw member and pressure plate from advanced position for releasing the deformable receptacle to permit withdrawal thereof frbm said gun.

References Cited i11 the file of this patent 8 C9hn,-; May 17, 1927 Cros sley Oct. 6, 1936 Crewe Mar. 22, 1938 Sherhondy Apr. 26, 1938 Oliver Sept. 5, 1944 Badham Feb. 24, 1953 

